Migration Trends & Outlook 2008/09
7 FAMILY-SPONSORED MIGRANTS
Highlights
- In 2008/09, 14,046 people were approved for residence through the Uncapped Family Sponsored and Parent Sibling Adult Child streams (30 percent of all New Zealand Residence Programme, or NZRP, approvals).
- Partnership Policy approvals accounted for 17 percent (7,850) of all NZRP approvals in 2008/09.
- Parent Policy approvals made up 8 percent (3,570) of all NZRP approvals in 2008/09.
- China was the largest source country of residence approvals in both the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream (16 percent) and the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream (28 percent) in 2008/09.
7.1 Introduction
The Uncapped Family Sponsored and Parent Sibling Adult Child streams[88] enable New Zealand citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their close family members for residence. This chapter describes the characteristics of migrants approved through these two streams and the various categories within these streams.
In 2008/09, 14,046 people were approved for residence through these two streams, down from 14,636 in 2007/08. The 14,046 approvals made up 30 percent of residence approvals through the NZRP in 2008/09. Although the number of residence approvals through these two streams decreased in 2008/09 compared with 2007/08, their relative size to each other remained at a similar level (see Table 7.1).
| New Zealand Residence Programme | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Total | 14,636 | 100% | 14,046 | 100% |
| Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream | 9,459 | 65% | 8,946 | 64% |
| Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream | 5,177 | 35% | 5,100 | 36% |
Source: Department of Labour
7.2 Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream approvals
Table 7.2 shows 8,946 people were approved for residence through the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream in 2008/09, compared with 9,459 in 2007/08. Although the number of approvals fell in 2008/09, the proportion of residence approvals was the same as in the previous year for both the Partnership and Dependant Child policies.
| Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Total | 9,459 | 100% | 8,946 | 100% |
| Partnership Policy | 8,296 | 88% | 7,850 | 88% |
| Dependant Child Policy | 1,163 | 12% | 1,096 | 12% |
Source: Department of Labour
In 2008/09, the main source countries were China (1,443 people) and the United Kingdom (1,304 people). Figure 7.1 shows the top five source countries of approvals from 2006/07 to 2008/09.[89] Since 2006/07, the number of approvals from China has increased (from 1,030 to 1,443), while the number of approvals from the United Kingdom has dropped (from 1,771 to 1,304).
Figure 7. 1 Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream approvals by source country, 2006/07–2008/09
Source: Department of Labour
7.2.1 Partnership Policy approvals
The Partnership Policy is the main policy in the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream, with 7,850 people approved through this policy in 2008/09. Partnership Policy approvals accounted for 17 percent of all residence (NZRP) approvals in 2008/09, which was similar to 2007/08 (18 percent).
China and the United Kingdom have been the main source countries of residence approvals through the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream since 2006/07. Those two source countries accounted for one-third (33 percent) of all Partnership Policy approvals in 2008/09. From 2006/07 to 2008/09, the proportion of approvals from China increased from 11 percent (942) to 17 percent (1,358), while the proportion of approvals from the United Kingdom decreased from 20 percent (1,704) to 16 percent (1,241). Figure 7.2 shows the top five source countries of people approved through the Partnership Policy from 2006/07 to 2008/09.[90]
Figure 7. 2 Partnership Policy approvals by source country, 2006/07-2008/09
Source: Department of Labour
7.2.2 Dependent Child Policy approvals
In 2008/09, 1,096 people were approved for residence through the Dependent Child Policy, compared with 1,163 in 2007/08 and 891 in 2006/07.
Samoa was the largest source country of approvals in this policy (407 people). Figure 7.3 shows the five main source countries of people approved for residence through the Dependent Child Policy in the last three financial years.
Figure 7. 3 Dependent Child Policy approvals by source country, 2006/07–2008/09
Source: Department of Labour
7.3 Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream approvals
Table 7.3 shows that 5,100 people were approved for residence through the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream in 2008/09, compared with 5,177 in 2007/08. The approvals in this stream made up 11 percent of all residence (NZRP) approvals in 2008/09, which was unchanged from 2007/08.
The majority of people in the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream (70 percent) gained residence through the Parent Policy, followed by the Sibling Policy (25 percent). The proportion of approvals under the Parent Policy fell (72 percent in 2007/08, compared with 70 percent in 2008/09), which offset the increase in the proportion of approvals under the Sibling Policy.
| Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Total | 5,177 | 100% | 5,100 | 100% |
| Parent Policy | 3,723 | 72% | 3,570 | 70% |
| Sibling Policy | 1,166 | 23% | 1,300 | 25% |
| Adult Child Policy | 262 | 5% | 212 | 4% |
| Humanitarian Category* | 26 | 1% | 18 | <1% |
* The Humanitarian Category is now closed.
Source: Department of Labour
China and India have been the largest source countries of residence approvals through this stream over the last three financial years (see Figure 7.4).[91] China accounted for more than one-quarter (28 percent) of residence approvals in this stream in 2008/09, up 5 percent from the previous year. The proportion of residence approvals from India decreased considerably over the last 3 years, from 29 percent (1,545) in 2006/07 to 17 percent (876) in 2008/09. In comparison, the number of residence approvals from Fiji was up strongly, from 6 percent (345) to 15 percent (743), and those from Cambodia increased from 1 percent (52) to 4 percent (223).
Figure 7. 4 Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream approvals by source country, 2006/07–2008/09
Source: Department of Labour
7.3.1 Parent Policy approvals
The Parent Policy accounts for most approvals under the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream. A total of 3,570 people were approved for residence through the Parent Policy in 2008/09. Parent Policy approvals made up 8 percent of all residence (NZRP) approvals in 2008/09, which was unchanged from 2007/08.
Figure 7.5 shows China was the largest source country of residence approvals through the Parent Policy (31 percent) in 2008/09, followed by India (15 percent).[92] The proportion of approvals from India decreased markedly from 30 percent (1,246) in 2006/07 to 15 percent (540) in 2008/09. In comparison, the proportion from Fiji increased from 4 percent (180) to 13 percent (460). The decrease in the number of approvals from India might be because India was the largest source country for approvals in the General Skills Category in 2001/02 and 2002/03 (more than 23 percent each). However, in November 2003, the General Skills Category was closed and replaced by the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC). Under the new category, approvals from India decreased to 6-10 percent each year between 2003/04 and 2008/09.
The sponsor of an applicant under the Parent Policy must have been a New Zealand or Australian citizen and/or held a residence permit or a returning resident's visa for at least 3 years immediately before the date Immigration New Zealand receives the applicant's completed application. Most eligible sponsors have been granted residence through the General Skills Category or the SMC.
Figure 7. 5 Parent Policy approvals by source country, 2006/07–2008/09
Source: Department of Labour
7.3.2 Sibling Policy approvals
The number of people granted residence through the Sibling Policy was 1,300 in 2008/09, compared with 1,166 in 2007/08 and 996 in 2006/07. Sibling Policy approvals accounted for 25 percent of approvals through the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream in 2008/09.
India and China have been the largest source countries of residence approvals under the Sibling Policy over the last 3 years (see Figure 7.6). In 2008/09, India accounted for about one-quarter (24 percent) and China 21 percent of residence approvals under this policy. The number of people from Fiji approved under this policy increased from 13 percent (131) in 2006/07 to 19 percent (248) in 2008/09, and approvals from Cambodia were up from 2 percent (24) to 10 percent (133) over the same period.
Figure 7. 6 Sibling Policy approvals by source country, 2006/07–2008/09
Source: Department of Labour
7.3.3 Adult Child Policy approvals
In 2008/09, 212 people were approved for residence through the Adult Child Policy, compared with 262 in 2007/08 and 206 in 2006/07. Figure 7.7 compares the five main source countries of residence approvals in the past three financial years. The largest source countries were China (39 people), Fiji (35 people), and South Africa (22 people).
Figure 7. 7 Adult Child Policy approvals by source country, 2006/07–2008/09
Source: Department of Labour
[88] Before 2006/07, these two streams were combined in one stream known as the Family Sponsored Stream. The key features of each policy are provided in Table C3, Appendix C.
[89] Appendix O shows the number of people from the top source countries approved for residence through the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream between 2006/07 and 2008/09.
[90] Appendix P shows the number of people from the top source countries approved for residence through the Partnership Policy between 2006/07 and 2008/09.
[91] Appendix Q shows the number of people from the top source countries approved for residence through the Parent Sibling Adult Stream between 2006/07 and 2008/09.
[92] Appendix R shows the number of people from the top source countries approved for residence through the Parent Category between 2006/07 and 2008/09.